In You, I Find Humanity
by Dorkylokifan
Summary: Post Avengers AU. Thor has been missing for months and their search leads them to Loki and a woman who are hiding out in the woods of Vermont. A feud breaks out between the Avengers as they try to decide what to do with the couple who have endured unspeakable horrors. Warnings for rape/violence. Loki/OFC F/M. Explicit. This is NOT a Thorki fic.
1. Chapter 1

**So this fic is based on another fic I read here on a couple of years ago. Anyway, it was one of those really good stories that had a bittersweet ending that I really wish had a sequel. I tried to find it so I could give it credit, but have not been successful. If anybody recognizes elements from this story and can point me in the right direction I would be eternally grateful. Warning! This is a dark fic. Trigger warnings for rape and violence. This is NOT a Thorki fic. This is a Loki/OFC fic.**

"Babe? What are you doing with this deer skull?" Sarah asked Loki as she moved a pile of animal furs from the workshop to the main house. They'd been living in the little shack in the woods while Loki built their dream home in the middle of the wilderness of upstate Vermont.

"I going to put that on the trophy wall in the main hall."

"This won't fit in the hallway."

"Not the hallway, the main hall."

"You mean the living room?"

"The place where we will sit and converse, to relax."

"Yeah, the living room."

"Ah." Loki said. He turned his attention back to the huge tree he felled a moment before. On Asgard he was considered weaker and smaller than all the other warriors. Here on Midga…Earth, he was superhuman. Like all the other logs of their great home, this one he'd chopped down and trimmed himself. Their house would be a great log cabin palace. It was close enough to being done that they could finally move into it. Only the living room remained to be finished. It had been a labor of love over the course of the summer. But if Loki were honest with himself, he'd miss the little shack they'd taken shelter in every night. It had been so intimate, just the two of them. But Sarah did not like small confining spaces, or having to take a gun with her every time she needed to shit in the woods at night.

Sarah worked on their bedframe, also constructed of wood collected from the forest. She drilled holes and used bolts from the hardware store to construct it. She pulled out the jigsaw and some two by fours to make the straight inner frame, on which their mattress would rest. It had taken all day, but she was very proud of herself. Tonight she and Loki would sleep in a real bed. Her joy was momentarily snatched away by a horrific recent memory, and she willed it away. No, she would not let that mess ruin what should be a triumphant happy moment. Unlike yesterday, when she'd burst into tears while peeing in a real toilet with real indoor plumbing. Septic systems are magical things.

She pulled out the brand new sheet set and brand new bed comforter and made their brand new bed. She put on new pillows and a new quilt she'd made in the evenings when it was dark outside and they'd had nothing else to do. It had taken a long time to make, since it all had to be hand stitched. No electricity. Sarah walked over to the light switch of her new bedroom and flipped it up. She'd missed this too. A combination of solar panels, a little wind mill, and Loki's advance understanding of technology gave them the gift of light and kitchen appliances. She opened up the fridge and pulled out the fresh deer meat from Loki's kill that morning and prepared their dinner.

After eating, and there wasn't any more light left to keep working outside, they retired to their new room. They both felt giddy and nervous, climbing into the soft plush expanse of cloth and springs. Loki's brow furrowed in concern, but also desire. He wanted so desperately to make love to her.

"I…would you want..." Sarah started.

"I do want…I just…"

"Well maybe we could…"

"I could just touch you, and if you wanted to touch me too…"

"I…I think I could handle that." Sarah stuttered. Loki rolled onto his side and cradled his head in one hand as he looked down upon her. He was laying parallel to her, with a small inch of space between them. He did not want to crowd her.

"I want to pleasure you. You can always tell me to stop. You trust me yes?"

"You know I do."

"May I kiss you?"

"Yes please." Sarah said. Loki leaned down and captured her lips with his, cupping her jawline with one hand. She didn't panic or pull away, he relieved to see. Loki's hand drifted down to her collar bone and he broke the kiss to make eye contact with her. He smiled sweetly as his fingertips and palm slid down and caressed her breast. It was so gentle and tender, not like when…

Her breath hitched and Loki stopped.

"It's good. Don't stop." She said. Loki resumed his touches. He took his time touching her naked body, memorizing all the little dips and curves. He noted the location of a freckle on the middle of her left thigh and of the scar on top of her left forearm. Like him her hair was raven black. Her eyes were a less brilliant shade of green than his. They were really a muddling of blue eyes with golden flecks, upon closer inspection. Slowly Loki's nimble fingers danced their way down until they reached her most delicate place. He let his finger swirl around her petals, which were damp.

Like Loki her skin was also creamy smooth, like carved white marble. He supposed, she'd been chosen partially, because of her looks. In her he could see himself, and that had been the point hadn't it? They looked like matching book ends.

"My rescuer." She said.

"My savior." He said to her. As much as that sounded funny to Sarah, she knew it to be true. They'd saved each other during their time in the dungeon. He'd saved her life; she'd saved his soul. Loki slipped two fingers inside her and she arched into them. Loki kissed her passionately, hoping to convey all that he held in his heart with the solemn act. She cupped his jawline in return. Her face slowly twisted and screwed up as Loki made her writhe in intimacy. He whimpered in need, in spite of himself. He did not want her to feel pressured in any way. But his cock was so hard and neglected. Sarah saw his distress and felt guilty. She reached out to stroke him.

"You…you don't have to love." His voice was gritted and broken.

"I want to." She said. The moment she touched him his hips bucked and he grunted. Sarah chewed on her bottom lip but continued. It was wonderful and sweet. They brought each other to climax with just their hands and then curled into one another after, embracing in the safety and security of hard won trust. Holding her like this was a privilege. They fell asleep feeling joy and a peacefulness that was rare and often fleeting for them. Dark memories often disturbed the peace.

Within the week the house was complete. They would begin their new lives here and try to forget the past. Here, in the isolation of the wilderness they'd built their little refuge. They had a truck to drive to town for supplies and entertainments, though they rarely needed to make the trip. They'd designed things that way, to live off the land they'd settled on. They were smack dab in the middle of over 40,000 acres of federally protected land. They were squatting officially, but their home was invisible to the naked eye. Loki's magic saw to that. Loki placed powerful wards around the home, discouraging hunters and game to come that way. Here, away from people, they could heal and hide from those that might do them harm. Earth was full of people that certainly wanted to do Loki harm. Sarah used to be one of them.

XxXxXxXxXx

"I'm telling you there is a structure there. There's an energy signature too large to be coming from a campfire." Tony said.

"Aerial photos don't show anything, but that could be good camouflage." Steve said.

"What about the girl?" Bruce asked.

"We don't know if she's his victim or some sort of twisted love sick groupie, and we won't find out until we get in there and see what is really going on."

"So we're certain this is Loki?" Clint asked.

"Based on the description the parents gave, yes." Steve said.

"I can't believe we let this go on for as long as it has. If she's his victim, god only knows what he's put her through all this time." Clint said.

"It's not our fault. We've been too busy playing fucking whack-a-mole with all the villains that have popped up recently. Between Hydra, Victor VonDoom, and the Mandarin we didn't have time to notice the disappearance of this one girl around the use of the BiFrost." Tony said.

"I hope Thor is still alive." Steve said.

"He went home to Asgard and didn't come back, as far as we know." Bruce said.

"What if he did? What if he's been Loki's prisoner right here on earth all this time and we failed him?" Tony asked.

"We can't beat ourselves up like this. We need to just get in there and assess the situation. Apprehend Loki if it really is him and find out what he's been up to and how that girl figures in all of this." Steve said. "If we are lucky, Thor will be there and he'll be alive."

"Or Thor could still be perfectly fine in Asgard living like the prince he is." Bruce said.

"I doubt that. After being separated from Jane for a year while the Bifrost was repaired he was eager to see her again. He would've contacted her by now. This is the second time his girl has been cut off without word from him. Jane is sick with worry." Clint said.

"Tony, I want you to carry Bruce down to the area. Natasha, Clint, and I can parachute in." Steve said.

"I hate parachute jumping." Natasha said. "There's too many damn trees in that area to get caught up in."

"Make sure you have knives to cut yourselves free if that happens." Steve said. An hour later the group exited the plane in their discussed method. Tony and Bruce touched down on the edge of a clearing, seeing nothing.

"Sir, I am detecting what appears to be a residential home on the ultraviolet light spectrum."

"Show me." Tony said. A light filter flashed over Tony's visor and suddenly a beautiful large log cabin home appeared in front of him out of thin air. "Holy shit, it's right in front of us."

"What do you see?" Steve asked over the communicator.

"It's a house. It's invisible but it's there. Switch to night vision goggles and you'll see it." Tony said.

"Understood." Steve said. They all rendezvoused outside the house.

"Do you think it's a trap?" Clint asked.

"It's a really nice house. Judging from all the tree trunks around here it was constructed recently with wood from these trees."

"It's got a feminine touch to it too." Natasha said.

"How do you know that?" Clint asked.

"There's a glass wind chime hanging from the gutter and what looks like an herb garden over there." She pointed to the side of the house where there were neat rows of dirt with life springing out of them.

"I don't know what this is, but I think stealth is the best method for this situation." Steve said.

"Agreed." Natasha said. Tony and Bruce stayed outside the house to keep watch for anyone trying to escape. Steve, Natasha, and Clint approached an exterior door. Using her particular set of skills, Natasha managed to open the door without making any noise or drawing any apparent attention.

Once the group was inside the house, it was no longer invisible. Though they still needed the night vision goggles to maneuver in the dark. They saw a nice standard kitchen, a normal looking living room that had a hunting lodge theme to it, and a hallway which led to the bedrooms in back. Quietly they crept through the house, clearing the bathroom before coming to what was obviously the master bedroom door.

Steve burst through the door and hit the light switch.

"AHHHHHHH!" Sarah screamed bloody murder. Loki pulled her into his arms and immediately began petting her hair. Loki grimaced at the sight of his old foes and knew that he and Sarah would be reliving their horror afresh for some time to come.

"Let her go Loki." Natasha said.

"No." Loki said. He noticed Clint scrutinizing Sarah and became very angry. "I'll thank you to keep your lecherous eyes of my wife Bird Man." Loki said.

"Your wife?" Steve said.

"Loki?" Sarah was trembling in fear and Loki held her tight, trying his best to keep her calm, but knew it was a losing battle.

"Shh darling. They won't harm you." Loki said, but Sarah was already trying to wriggle free from his grip to run away.

"No! Not again! Please!" Sarah cried out as tears streamed down her face. Steve approached the bed and she screamed again and scooted that much closer to the headboard to get away from him.

Steve looked at her. Something was off. Something was off about all of this.

"Sarah calm down." Loki said a little sternly.

"No! No I won't go back into a cell again! We have to get away!" Sarah was hysterical and slapping at Loki to break free. Loki's lips set into a thin line of resignation and he cast a sleeping spell upon her. Raking his palm over her face, her eyes fell shut and she slumped into his arms like sleeping beauty. Steve resumed his approach.

"Not you! No man touches her! You! Spider Lady. You stay with her."

"Fine." Steve said and yanked Loki from the bed. He was only wearing green satin pajama pants. Tony and Bruce entered the room, surveying the scene and admiring the architecture.

"Nice place you got here. I didn't really think caveman was your style." Tony said. Bruce followed Steve and Loki out of the room to make sure Loki did not try to escape.

"She's taller and heavier than me. I could carry her if I had to, but I don't have to. Tony, you pick her up." Natasha said.

"She's really pretty, and she looks young." Tony said.

"The file on her says she's only 23 years old." Natasha said. Tony grabbed Sarah's ankle and pulled her body towards his and picked up her up from off of the bed.

"How in the hell did she get mixed up with him?" Tony asked.

XxXxXxXx

Sarah awoke in an interrogation room and instantly started to panic. She saw the two-way mirror and knew she was being watched, just like when she was in the dungeon in Asgard. Except then it had been Loki watching. Loki had been forced to watch everything. She got up from the army cot she was sleeping on and started moving around the furniture. There was a metal table and two chairs in the room and she tipped the table over on its side and dragged to the far wall. She pulled the chairs and the cot with her too, to use them as obstacles. Within seconds she'd constructed a little fort for herself, and she cowered in the corner.

"What is she doing?" Clint asked. Her actions were silly and childish.

"I've seen people do all kinds of stupid things when they are afraid." Bruce said.

"Well I'm going in there to debrief her. We need to know what Loki is up to and getting information from her will be a lot easier than getting it from him." Steve said. He and Nick left the observation room and went around to enter the interrogation room. When the two men entered and shut the door behind them all the blood in Sarah's veins froze.

Steve approached first, noting her terrified expression. She was trembling and pale. Her whole body was curled up into a tight ball as if to protect herself from a physical assault. When he put his hand out to reach for her Sarah screamed.

"LOOOKIIIII! HELP ME! Ahhhhh!" She screamed unrelenting and blood curdling, like she was about to be murdered or…

"Steve get out of there!" Tony's voice said over the speaker.

"What? I'm just trying to calm her down." He yelled over Sarah's screams.

"She's a rape victim! Back off!" Tony said. Steve blanched and backed away. She was screaming because she thought Captain America was about to violate her. The thought made Steve sick, and he wasn't the only one. Sarah vomited and passed out.

"Jesus! Steve, Nick get the fuck out of there! No men! She's got PTSD, trust me, I know." Tony said. Steve and Nick exited the interrogation room like their asses were on fire. Natasha and Maria swarmed into the room to clean Sarah up and get her back onto the cot. Sarah was only dressed in a skimpy pajama set, which must have made her feel even more vulnerable. Maria located a full jumpsuit and dressed Sarah in it to give her more coverage.

Steve was pacing the hallway with murder in his eyes.

"Loki's been raping her." Steve said.

"I don't know man. Why would she call out to him to help her?" Tony pointed out, but Steve wasn't listening. He turned towards Loki's cell and stalked off, intent to bash the man's face in. Steve barged into Loki's cell, his hand fisted and ready to punch. Loki turned and looked at him, his arms crossed and worry etched into his face.

"You've been raping her!" Steve yelled. A look of betrayal came over Loki's face and he took a step towards Steve.

"Is that what she told you?"

"She didn't have to. Her screams of terror were enough." Steve said.

"Oh, I see. You assume based on her actions and not her words that I was the one who violated her. Go fuck yourself!" Loki snapped. Steve closed the distant and beat Loki's face in. Loki fought back and got in a couple of good punches, but Steve eventually pinned Loki against the wall with his hand around his neck ready to snap it.

"You said she's your wife. Is that true?"

"Not exactly. Not as you understand it. Our bond was forged from a different set of vows."

"What is she to you?"

"She's my punishment." Loki said.

"What?"

"I am sworn to protect her, now take me to her. You've frightened her enough."

"No." Steve let go of Loki's neck and left his cell. Steve knew he couldn't trust a damn thing that came out of that man's mouth, and what the hell did he mean when he said that she was his punishment?

"Steve, go outside and get some fresh air. You need it." Bruce said. Steve ran his hand over his face and scalp, scrapping it in frustration. "Look, we're all a little emotional right now. We need to take a break. The girls are seeing to her. When she wakes up we will have Natasha and Maria ask her what happened to her."

"I don't think any of us are going to like the story she has to tell us." Steve said.

"I'm going to talk to Loki and try to find out where Thor is." Bruce said.

"He's not going to tell you anything reliable. God of Lies, remember?"

"We still have to try Steve. Go get some air." Bruce said, grabbing Steve's shoulder in a friendly manner. Steve nodded and sighed his resignation, walking down the hall towards the breakroom to get a soda. Bruce turned and entered Loki's cell.

"Well hello there." Bruce said. Loki blanched at the sight of Bruce. The beating the Hulk gave him almost two years ago was still fresh in his mind.

"What do you want?"

"We want to know where your brother is."

"He's in Asgard." Loki said.

"Is he alive?"

"I don't know."

"What do you know Loki?"

"I know that he is either in Asgard's dungeons, engaged in a civil war against Odin for the throne, or is dead." Loki said.

"Civil war? Why would he want to depose his father when he stands to inherit the throne anyway?"

"Thor and Odin had a disagreement."

"A disagreement about what?"

"About Midgard and the treatment of its citizens."

"About the treatment of all of its citizens or just one in particular?"

"You know, despite that mindless beast inside you, you are still far more perceptive than your peers."

"Thanks. Why did Odin want to hurt Sarah? Why her? What did she do?"

"She didn't do anything. It wasn't about her."

"Then why was she put in Asgard's prison? What crime did she commit?"

"She didn't commit any crime. She's an innocent."

"Then what purpose did she serve?"

"She's my punishment."

"How so?"

"Are you sure you want to hear this story? You won't like it."

"That girl needs help. Now any information you can give me to accomplish that is important. So tell me what happened."

 _Loki tossed the little figurine into the air and caught it again for the 627_ _th_ _time in a row. He was bored. He'd been locked up in this cell for a full year now. Eternity would be a very long time for him. Loki was pulled from his concentration by the sound of a woman screaming. He sat up on his bed and went to the wall of the cell to look into the hallway to see what was causing all the fuss. He watched as two members of the royal guard dragged what appeared to be a mortal woman, based on her clothing, and dragged her into the cell right next to his. The wall separating the cells was clear, like the one facing the hall. Loki could see everything her cell, and she in his. Loki smiled. He had a new source of entertainment._

 _The men shoved her into the cell and the barrier came down. She stood up and ran at it. Both of her hands were given a painful electric shock for her troubles._

 _"Not a bright idea, touching the walls like that." Loki said, chiding the girl. She was a lovely thing. Tall, incredibly slender, but with a wide set of hips that gave her a pleasing shape. She was wearing very short denim shorts that showcased her long legs which went all the way up. Her long black hair reached clear to her plump firm ass. Oh the things he'd do to her if the barrier between their cells came down._

 _"Where am I? Why am I here?" She asked Loki._

 _"Don't you know? You obviously did something to draw the ire of the Allfather."_

 _"Who the hell is the Allfather?"_

 _"King Odin, ruler of Asgard the realm eternal. Surely you know what that is?"_

 _"Isn't that the place Thor comes from?"_

 _"Ah yes, my brother. Of course you would recognize him."_

 _"Wait…brother? But that would mean…You're the asshole that attacked New York!"_

 _"In the flesh and at your service my lady." Loki took an exaggerated dramatic bow._

 _"Go fuck yourself!"_

 _"Mmm…I would if I could get my body to bend that way. One does run out of things to do to occupy one's mind and time down here. I wouldn't mind fucking you. You're a tasty little treat for a prisoner like me."_

 _"Is that so?" Sarah said as she sauntered towards the barrier between their cells. She squished her breast together with her arms and leaned forward slightly to display the swell. "Would you have me on my knees, bowing and scrapping, worshipping you like a god?" She asked. Loki licked his lips and leered at her. "Maybe you'd tie me up? You look like you get off on that sort of thing."_

 _"You're very perceptive."_

 _"That's because you're a whiney little bitch. Everything about you screams napoleon complex. From what I've seen of Thor and what I've seen of the other people in this place, you are tiny! I bet your dick is tiny too!"_

 _"You won't think so when you are chocking on it."_

 _"And when will that be? Oh right, never."_

 _"Mark my words you tasty little bitch, you'll be screaming my name soon."_

"I had no idea how true those words would be." Loki said to Bruce. He swallowed thickly, his throat gone dry.

"You managed to find a way into her cell?"

"Not at first, not until it was too late."

"Too late? To rape her?"

"No. You see for the first few days she was in the cell, nothing happened, and that was what was so odd. Meal times came round and while I was brought my tray of food, she was brought nothing."

"She was being starved?"

"Yes."

XxXxXxXx

Sarah awoke in the same room, but things were different. She wasn't alone. There were other women with her. One of them she recognized, the other she didn't. She scowled at the taste of vomit in her mouth. All of the furniture was back where it belonged and she was dressed in a full body jumpsuit. It was grey and not prison orange.

"Here, have some water and a tic-tac." Maria said handing her the breath mint and the glass.

"Thank you." She said. She watched them as she sipped her beverage.

"Where's Loki?" She asked.

"He's in another holding cell like this one." Maria said.

"Are you going to take him from me?" Sarah asked.

"Loki is a wanted criminal. He's not even supposed to be here on earth. He's supposed to be rotting in a prison cell on his home world. How did he escape?" Natasha asked.

"Thor helped us." She said. That took the women by surprise.

"Thor helped you? He helped Loki? Why?"

"Thor's dad was doing terrible things to me." She said.

"What kind of things?" Maria asked. Sarah started sobbing.

"Sarah, why were you in a prison in Asgard?"

"Thor's dad had his soldiers kidnap me."

"Why?"

"They tossed me into a cell right next to Loki's and they left me there to starve in front of him."

"What? Do you know why?"

"Odin said it was to teach his son the value of a human life. I was to be sacrificed for a greater cause."

"They tortured you in front of him." Natasha stated.

"Yes." She said. She started bawling again. Maria frowned and Natasha got up. They left Sarah alone to cry herself out.

"What do you think?" Maria asked Nat.

"I think… I think I wish we hadn't found that house."

XxXxXx

 _"You stupid little bitch! You must have done something!"_

 _"I don't know! I don't know why I'm here!" Sarah screamed at Loki. She'd gone all day yesterday without eating and so far Loki had been fed twice today and not her. She looked over at Loki's half eaten tray of food with hunger in her eyes._

 _Loki didn't know what to make of that. Starving prisoners was not common practice in the dungeons. In fact, from what Loki could see, every other prisoner down here was being fed but Sarah. Not that he cared. She was just some silly little mortal girl._

 _Sarah flopped down on her tiny prison bed and pulled out her cellphone, one of the few items in her pockets that she had with her. She'd hoped that maybe by some miracle she could get a signal and call for help. When that hope was dashed she went through her pictures of her friends and family to cheer herself up._

 _She looked at one particularly silly photo of her friend Betty wearing a full body penis Halloween costume. It took sexy Halloween costumes to a whole new lewd level. She giggled and a tear escaped her eye._

 _"I fail to see what is so funny about your situation." Loki said._

 _"Don't you ever shut the fuck up?" She yelled at him._

 _"My nickname is Silvertongue for several reasons." Loki's eyes raked up and down her body in an oh so obvious way. Sarah rolled her eyes. Loki could just imagine the things he'd do to her, how she'd sound, how she'd scream beneath him._

 _"No one cares Loki. No one cares about you. You're going to die down here alone, unloved, and forgotten." She said._

 _"So are you." Loki said._

 _"I'm not unloved. I might die in here, but I'm not unloved. People will miss me. People will mourn me. Who's going to miss you? Huh? That's what I thought." Sarah said, and then walked away from the glass feeling a little better. Loki didn't respond to that. He couldn't, because she was right. Frigga might mourn him when he died. If she outlived him. Loki was hit then by how much he missed her, and even Thor too to some extent. Loki flopped back down onto his bed to sulk and for a long while it was quiet._

 _Eventually Sarah devised an activity to help pass the time. She used her pillow and her blankets (folded up) to create a hockey goal of sorts between the two leg posts of her bed. Using her cellphone as the puck she kicked it around the glossy smooth floor of her cell._

 _"She comes in to the left. Gretzky has spotted the puck. He's charging at her. She takes the swing and…" Sarah kicked the edge of her cellphone with the side of her foot. "Scooorrreee! Olay! Olay Olay! Yeah! And the crowd goes wild!" Sarah ran in a circle around her cell with her arms up in victory. She noticed Loki watching her with fascination and stopped._

 _"What's the matter Loki? None of the other kids want to play with you?" Sarah said. Loki got up. He decided it was high time he put her in her place._

 _"You pathetic little mortal girl. You are as a dog, or a pet fish to me. Your tiny insignificant life passes so quickly that it is incapable of ever accumulating meaning."_

 _"And yet I have friends and you don't. You must be very lonely up on that pedestal of yours, oh high and mighty King."_

 _"I would have improved your world. Your kind was made to be ruled. It's in your nature to bow and scrape. You long for subjugation, you crave it."_

 _"Oh please! You only want to dominate people because they don't like you. No one wants to hang out with you willingly, so you terrify them into kissing your ass. Well pucker up baby, and kiss mine!" Sarah turned around and shook her ass at him._

 _"I will, after I'm done ramming my cock up it."_

 _"Oooh, I'm so scared." Sarah said. She was scared, but not of Loki. She was hungry. She was alone and kidnapped and did not understand why she was there._

 _Dinnertime came and again Loki was served a tray of food while she got nothing. She felt her tummy grumble. She went to the back panel of the cell and pushed on it to open up the toilet stall. It was exposed to any guard walking by, which she did not like. However, there was a tiny sink in there with a tiny faucet and she was able to drink her fill of water, not that it helped alleviate her hunger._

 _Day three came and Sarah started feeling dizzy. She didn't talk much that day and she was too tired to engage Loki in their usual round of insults. Food was all she could think about. Loki quickly realized that his new cellmate was dwindling fast. It wasn't that he was concerned for her welfare, he just didn't want to be alone again. He liked having someone to talk to. The solitary confinement of the last year had been rather hard for him to take. Sarah curled up on the bed and fell asleep, or maybe passed out. Her blood sugar had to be low by this point._

 _That evening when the servant girl and the guard came to put the tray through the pass-through of Loki's cell, he yelled at them._

 _"Give it to her!" He pointed at her cell._

 _"I cannot." The mousy little servant girl said._

 _"It's not hard, just go next door and pass her the tray. Why aren't you feeding her?"_

 _"We are under the Allfather's expressed orders my prince. She is not to be given nourishment of any kind." The girl said and then pushed the tray into Loki's cell._

 _"Why?" He glared daggers at the woman and the guard but neither of them answered. They simply left. The steamy plate of chicken mocked him from the tray on the floor. Loki looked over at Sarah. She hadn't budged all afternoon._

 _Day four came and went with Sarah moaning from her bed. Her head was pounding and her stomach was screaming in pain. She wanted to die. At one point her bladder forced her to rise from her bed and she staggered and tripped on the way to the toilet, falling on her hands and knees. Loki noted how emaciated she was starting to look._

 _Day five was strange. Sarah awoke and sat up. She was still hungry, but her stomach didn't hurt anymore. She could still feel that her body was starving, but she also felt like she could function again._

 _"You're awake." Loki said._

 _"Yeah. I feel better."_

 _"That's little comfort. They have no intensions of feeding you." Loki said._

 _"Why? Why are they doing this to me?"_

 _"I wish I knew." Loki said. There was something different in his demeanor today. Was that concern on his face? No. She has to be imagining that. Loki's a genocidal asshole._

 _"Can I ask you something?"_

 _"I can't stop you."_

 _"Why did you attack Earth?"_

 _"I'm a prince without a throne. What purpose is there for me?" He said._

 _"So you just…what? Decided to attack the human race?"_

 _"Yes, and to get revenge. Your planet was an easy target, plus my brother is sworn to protect Midgard so, that made conquering your world a particularly gratifying prospect."_

 _"So wait, you attacked my world all because your daddy picked your brother and not you to become the next king of Asgard?"_

 _"Your quick wit is astounding." Loki said sarcastically._

 _"You are a caricature. You are a cartoon depiction of a spoiled prince brought to life, a stereotype. You're a jealous spoiled brat. I feel sorry for you. You value nothing."_

 _"I value power, the only thing of value there is."_

 _"And what does that make you, rotting down here with me, in the most powerless position there is."_

 _"A man bidding his time."_

 _"Ha! Bidding your time? You know what? Sure. Whatever keeps you going dude."_

 _"And what is keeping you going? Being ripped away from your home and your family? How is it you still have the will to live?" Loki asked. Sarah felt tears suddenly threaten to break. "There is no hope for you."_

 _"Fuck you!" She cried and ran back to her bed._

 _"You keep offering but I am unable to fulfill your request at this time."_

 _"SHUT UUUUPPP!" She screamed. Loki smirked at that. He finally got to her. But as the minutes passed his victory felt hollow. There was no hope for him either._

 _The next day came same as the ones before. Loki noted that he could start to make out the spine ridge of Sarah's back and her thighs were not as curvaceous as they'd been when she'd first arrived. It was a subtle change, but an alarming one._

 _In the evening, hell came. It was late, near time for lights out when the sounds of soldier's footsteps came down the stairwell. It was not time for the usual patrol, which Loki had learned by heart. Two drunken soldiers came down, laughing and carousing about their many sexual exploits. They stopped in front of Sarah's cell and leered at her._

 _"She's the one, isn't she?" One man said to the other. Loki stopped breathing. A lifetime in Asgard had taught Loki what these men were capable of, of what often happened to female prisoners both on the battlefield and in the cells._

 _Loki prayed inwardly for Sarah to keep her smart mouth shut. Sarah was sitting of the floor of her cell twirling her cell phone for entertainment._

 _"This isn't a zoo. Fuck off." She said. Nononono! Don't say that! Loki's eyes grew wide and fear crept up his spine._

 _"Did you hear that? She told us to fuck off."_

 _"Oh I'll fuck something alright. I'll fuck you, you smug little tart."_

 _"Classy. I bet you have tiny dicks too."_

 _"Well, lass you're about to find out." The barrier came down and Sarah looked up at them wide-eyed. She tried to run, but there was nowhere to run. The barrier was already back up, locking her inside the cell with them. Loki turned his back and covered his ears with his hands, but to no avail. He could hear everything they were doing to her. All the vile horrible things they were saying to her. It was all the same things he himself had wanted to do to her. She screamed for help only to make a choking noise as something was stuffed into her mouth._

 _"Oy! We got a biter here."_

 _"Well then, we'll just have to stuff her double the other way!" He men laughed and more of Sarah's screams followed. Loki curled up into a ball on his bed singing a song to himself. A lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he was small._

XxXxXxXx

"What did Loki tell you?" Nick asked Bruce. Tony and Steve were present as well.

"We need to let that girl go. Keeping her locked up here is detrimental to her mental health. She needs therapy, serious psychological therapy for what happened to her."

"What about Loki? Why is he here on earth, and where is Thor?"

"According to Loki, Thor is still in Asgard and alive as far as he knows." Bruce said. Natasha and Maria entered the room to add to the briefing.

"Sir, we've gone over the girl's record. Nothing about her stands out as some kind of terrorist in the making. She's all American, middle class, normal cheerleader perfection from what we've seen. She disappeared only a couple of days after Thor reappeared here on earth, and when Thor went home, they made their way here." Maria said.

"By Bifrost or some other means?" Nick asked.

"Some other means." Bruce said.

"Terrible things were done to her." Natasha said.

"That means a lot coming from you." Nick said.

"Yes sir. I know."

"What are we going to do about Loki?" Tony asked Nick.

"The only thing we can do. Keep him locked up and let her go." He said.

"I don't think that is wise." Bruce said.

"Why?"

"Because of the nature of their escape from Asgard. Loki isn't exactly banished to Earth like Thor was. He's hiding out, and officially so is she."

"Wait, you're telling me Thor's father is hunting for them?" Steve asked.

"Loki believes that is the case. He says he can keep her shielded from Odin's sight so long as she remains in close proximity to him."

"And if Odin finds them?" Nick asked.

"Loki believes Odin will finish what he started. He will torture Sarah to death in front of him." Bruce said.

XxXxXxXxXx

 _There was so much blood. He could see from this distance the bruises and the useless rags her clothing had been shredded into. She was dying. Her skin was pale, and now that her tank top was off and her breasts and ribcage were exposed, Loki could see just how skinny she'd become._

 _Loki knelt before the barrier between their cell and closed his eyes. He could still wield magic, but within these cells it meant nothing. Any spell he performed would be confined to these four walls. Getting help to Sarah would be impossible. Still, he had nothing better to do, than piss off Odin by helping her. That thought pleased him._

 _Loki concentrated on every square inch of the barrier, little by little, looking for flaws and weaknesses in the magic. He didn't know how much time he spent examining the barrier, but he knew that the next scheduled patrol would be soon. It was night time now. Loki only knew that because the lights had been dimmed for sleeping. He could still see Sarah in her broken bleeding state. She was breathing at least, though for how long he could not tell. It was near dawn when he found a tiny hole in the magic barrier and start picking at it like a woodpecker on a telephone post. By the time the lights came up he had created a hole large enough for him to fit through._

 _He heard footsteps and used his magic to make it look like nothing had been done. His breakfast tray arrived. The servant girl looked over at Sarah horrified, but said nothing. Loki gave her an accusing look to let her know she was implicit in this crime and girl skulked away in shame. Loki waited for the quiet to return. When he was certain he they were alone, he picked up the tray and entered Sarah's cell._

 _It was an awkward tight fit. He had to put the tray on the ground of her room and then wiggle one leg and then the other over and in. Loki rushed to Sarah's side to inspect her thoroughly. Her left eye was black and swollen shut. She was bleeding from her skull. She had hand shaped bruises on her hips and thighs and her womanhood was a pulverized bleeding mess. Loki bit the inside of his cheek to stifle an unexpected sob. He picked up the remnants of Sarah's shirt and took it to the little bathroom to use as a washcloth. He returned to her with the wet rag and parted her legs to wipe away the blood. Sarah barely stirred. When Loki was done with that task he grabbed the food. He set it beside the bed on the floor and pulled Sarah into his lap._

 _"Sarah wake up." Loki said, but she didn't respond. Loki brought a spoonful of egg up to her nose and she gasped. Her mouth opened like a little baby bird and Loki put the food in her mouth. Sarah's eyes opened but were unfocused and Loki wondered if she had a concussion._

 _"Sarah can you hear me?" Loki asked her. She didn't respond verbally but she opened her mouth. Loki fed her another spoonful of egg. Loki felt her fragile body pressing against his. Mixed in and among the smells of blood, sweat, and bodily fluids, he could also smell her. He hadn't even realized how much he missed physical contact with another person, and not just sex, but to hold someone, tenderly. He sat there and fed her until all of his breakfast was gone. He tucked her in, as best he could with the bloody sheets that were left, and returned to his cell before he could get caught._

 _Sarah awoke, three days later, and the first thing she noticed was that she wasn't hungry. The second thing she noticed was the pain, and the memory of the rape came roaring back. Why oh why, had god let her live?_

XxXxXxXx

Sarah was all cried out by the time she started to get hungry. She'd been left alone for well over an hour and now she was beginning to worry that they'd forget she was in here. What if they didn't feed her?

As if on cue a large burly looking guard came into the room carrying a tray of food. He shut and locked the door behind him like protocol required, but for Sarah it was déjà vu all over again. She screamed.

"Don't come any closer!"

"I'm just here to bring you some food."

"Stay away from me!" Sarah scream. The man, in his ignorance, did the worst thing he could have done. He approached her to try to calm her down.

"AHHHHHH! Somebody help me please! Loki! Loki!" Sarah screamed bloody murder. Hearing the screams, Tony and Steve barged into the room. They pulled the guy out of there but were only making the situation worse by being there themselves.

"It's okay! It's okay! We're the good guys. We're not going to hurt you." Tony said to Sarah, but she wasn't listening. She was back in the cell in Asgard reliving the nightmare all over again. She could no longer see Tony's face. Steve grabbed Tony by the collar and dragged him out of the room.

"Fuck we just made it worse didn't we?"

"What the hell is going on?" Nick asked.

"What did you guys do?" Natasha added.

"She was screaming. The guard brought her breakfast and she freaked out." Tony said.

"Fuck! She's having a complete psychotic break in there." Bruce said.

"I'm getting Loki." Steve said.

"What?" Nick spun to look at him.

"She's been begging to be reunited with him from the beginning of all this. She's suffered enough, and I won't add to her torment. I don't know if it's right or wrong, I just know it's what she needs." Steve went to Loki's cell and retrieved him. Loki heard Sarah's cries for help from down the hall and ran towards her cell in a panic.

"Sarah! Sarah, darling it's alright! I'm here love, I'm here." Loki pulled her into his embrace, but she fought him, still trapped in a waking nightmare of humiliation and degradation. The others flooded into the room to watch and see if Loki would really help her.

They noticed then, a shimmering in the room, and a smell of roses unfolded in the air as though a woman had just sprayed a perfume. Sarah was crouched up against the wall, but everyone watched in amazement as the illusion of a large oak tree and an open grassy field appeared behind her and started filling up the room. The table and chairs disappeared, and they themselves seem to disappear into the background, camouflaged by butterflies and tall grass. There were lightning bugs dancing in the air and the sky above was full of purples and blues, with pink clouds and some stars. There was a bright sunrise, or maybe it was a sunset off to the left. Loki grabbed the plate of food and brought the spoon up to Sarah's lips to feed her.

"Eat darling. You need your strength." He said.

"Loki?"

"Yes love."

"Where are we?"

"We're home. We're in a field not far from our new home. I brought a picnic, see?" Loki lied. Sarah looked around at the illusion, dubious of its authenticity.

"Look at me love. You are safe. Here, have a bit of breakfast." Loki put the spoon into her mouth and she swallowed it.

"Good girl." Loki put the spoon down on the plate and wrapped his other arm around her to embrace her. "Sleep my darling girl. Sleep." Loki used the sleeping spell on her and once again she was out. Slowly the illusion faded until all that remained was Sarah and Loki. He held her and looked at her with such affection. The Avengers looked away. Never before had they felt like the villain.

XxXxXx

"What the fuck do we do now?" Tony asked.

"What do you mean, what do we do now? Loki is still a criminal, and if he's not rotting in a prison in Asgard then he can rot in one down here." Nick said.

"Oh come on Nick, you just saw what we saw. What the fuck would be the point?" Bruce asked.

"Punishment. I feel bad for her, truly I do, but there are thousands of others that died because of what Loki did. Where is your bleeding heart for them?"

"I'm not saying that Loki doesn't deserved to be punished, but isn't there an alternative option? Thor clearly thought so." Bruce said.

"That we know of. Right now we are just taking his word for it." Nick said.

"Bullshit, I know Loki. I had a nice chit-chat with him in the middle of the invasion. That guy, he was an asshole. He was a spoiled jealous little diva on a power trip. The guy in the room down the hall, total stranger." Tony said.

"Alright fine. Loki has learned a valuable lesson and he promises to be a good boy from now on. Let's just turn him loose." Nick said.

"We're not suggesting that." Steve said.

"Then what are you all suggesting?" Nick asked. He looked around the room at the Avengers. Even Clint and Natasha fidgeted for an answer.

"We don't know, but look. Natasha and I both know what it is like to be unmade. Hell, Loki unmade me! He ripped me out of my body and stuffed something else inside. What they did to that girl, in front of Loki. They used horror to transform him and it worked." Clint said.

"If they're lying, it's the best god damn lie I've ever seen." Natasha said.

"Lovely, none of you have answered my question. What are you expecting me to do with him? I can't let him roam free." Nick said.

"He wasn't roaming free when we found him. They're on the run, and they're terrified of being found by Odin. They are in need of our protection." Steve said. "I don't know how Loki should be punished, but I'll be damned if I let Thor's father get his hands on her again." Steve said.

XxXxXxXx

 _Sarah awoke again, this time the lights were dim. It was night time. She also wasn't alone._

 _"You're awake." Loki whispered. He felt Sarah tense and pulled out a piece of chicken he'd wrapped in a handkerchief. "You need to eat." He said._

 _"How long have I been asleep?"_

 _"For four days on and off roughly. Forced you to sleep through most of it. Your body needed to heal."_

 _"Why are you helping me?"_

 _"I don't know." Loki said._

 _"You've been feeding me."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Why? Why do you care?"_

 _"I don't. It'll piss off Odin, and I'm bored." Loki said._

 _"Just let me die." Sarah sobbed. Loki pulled her close to his chest and stroked her hair. It was a far more comforting and compassionate act than his explanation suggested._

 _"I can't." Loki said._

 _"Why not? I'm just some dirty little human girl. You hate me."_

 _"I don't hate you." Loki said. His tone was almost apologetic._

 _"Then why are you helping me?"_

 _"Because you are suffering." Loki swallowed hard. "No one should have to endure what you have endured. I am sorry." Loki said. He felt exposed, and in that moment he couldn't be sure what he was apologizing for. He wasn't the one that raped her, though he had fantasized about it. The fantasy had miraculously lost its appeal recently. So had the thought of crushing her under his boot, or any mortal for that matter._

 _"Thank you." She said. "I'm going to die down here aren't I?"_

 _"Yes, probably, but I won't let them touch you again. I swear it."_

 _"Loki?"_

 _"Shh Sarah. Rest. They'll not harm you tonight." Loki said. Sarah took a deep breath and relaxed against him. She was in so much pain and so weak, she had no choice but to trust him. She needed comfort and was willing to accept it from any source. She did not expect it to come from him._

 _XxXxXxXx_

 _"Loki?"_

 _"Shh. Soon Sarah." Loki said. The patrols down the hall had been doubled for some inexplicable reason, making smuggling food to Sarah difficult. Loki had a sneaking suspicion that the guards were on to them. Of course they would be. Sarah had stopped losing weight and was healing. Loki's face was looking rather gaunt these days. Two people sharing rations only meant for one was bound to garner attention eventually. Sarah had been in the cell next to Loki's for two weeks now. She should be worse not better. Loki tried not to think about what would happen when they were caught, a certain eventuality._

 _The tail end of the patrol marched past their cells and Loki tossed the chicken breast through the hole in their cells. Sarah snatched it up and inhaled the meat in three bites._

 _"Thank you." She whispered. Her voice cracked._

 _"You're welcome." He said. "Now, how shall we spend the rest of the day?" Loki asked._

 _"We could play the guessing game." Sarah said._

 _"You really like that game."_

 _"Of course I do. I always win."_

 _"That is because your people use ancient technology."_

 _"Said the man that comes from a people that dress like Vikings and play with swords."_

 _"Be that as it may, we are still able to travel to distant worlds in the blink of an eye. Can your people say the same?"_

 _"No, but we can kill people from hundreds of feet away with these amazing inventions called guns."_

 _"Guns are inelegant."_

 _"Said the guy who brought a giant knife to a gun fight."_

 _"A sword is not a knife."_

 _"Because..."_

 _"It's bigger!"_

 _"Oh, so you brought a really big knife to a gun fight."_

 _"You keep mentioning this gun. I'd very much like to see it because if you actually had it with you we could get out of here." Loki said._

 _"Yeah, I wish I had it with me too." Sarah said._


	2. Chapter 2

**So the name of the fic that inspired this one is called Cellmates. Go read it. It's really bittersweet.**

 _At the three-week mark something changed. Loki knew something was about to happen. He could sense it every time a guard patrol walked past their cells. Their eyes would linger on Sarah and that made him nervous. Finally, in the evening they came._

 _There were six of them. They came into the dungeons laughing and carousing. They'd obviously been drinking. They weren't in their armor, a telltale sign that they were off duty and had no official reason to be down in this place. They stopped in front of Sarah's cell and they both knew what was about to happen._

 _The barrier came down and the six soldiers entered the cell. One of them grabbed Sarah and she screamed. Then the barrier went back down, encasing all of them inside. The moment the barrier returned Loki sprang into action. He cast an illusion of himself, still sitting on the bed watching the group._

 _"Enjoying the show little Jotunn?" One man said. Sarah was already thrashing and crying in a pointless bid to escape. The sheet she'd been wearing like a toga for clothing was ripped off in one easy movement, rendering her naked. A sharpened chicken leg bone, filed to a fine point, appeared from nowhere and was shoved upwards into one man's jugular, killing him instantly. Loki took the dagger sheathed on the man's hip and proceeded to slit the throats of two others. Loki was invisible but the floating dagger gave away his position. One guard grabbed Loki from behind while the other punched Loki repeatedly in the face and stomach. Loki let his Aesir façade drop. His skin turned blue and he used his withering touch to freeze them both. The last guard held onto Sarah, a knife pointed directly at her carotid artery._

 _"Why is this girl being treated like this? What crime did she commit?" Loki asked._

 _"Being pretty was her crime. She's pretty like you. He said he wanted you to learn compassion for the mortals."_

 _"By starving and raping her?"_

 _"She's to be a martyr for a noble cause. The Allfather said she looks like you and that torturing her in front of you would be a fitting start to your punishment."_

 _"A fitting start? What else does he plan to do?"_

 _"As soon as the dwarves are done crafting a special collar for you, you'll be whored out to the army. Enjoy being Jotunn while you can. Your ability to freeze off body parts will be taken from you."_

 _"Let her go."_

 _"She's not even supposed to be alive. She should've died days ago."_

 _"And I'd rather die than let the fate the Allfather has planned for me come to pass." Loki used his ice magic to form a sharp ice blade and flung it at the man. It embedded in his eye and he dropped leaving a superficial cut on Sarah's neck. She bled but Loki could tell it was not serious. He grabbed the sheet and wrapped her back up. She clung to him for safety and gratitude, sobbing into his shoulder._

 _"Thank you."_

 _"Well if we weren't found out before, we are now. Come with me into my cell. We can die together in there."_

 _XxXxXxXx_

 _"Thor, I must speak with you. It is urgent." Frigga said. Thor had just returned from another visit down on Midgard. He wanted to propose to Jane and there was something in his room here in Asgard that he wanted to give her. Plus, he wanted to visit with his mother and catch up on the news here at home._

 _"What is it mother?"_

 _"We cannot speak here." She said. She grabbed his arm firmly and dragged him to a little side room. Her secrecy and urgency caused him alarm._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"It's Loki."_

 _"Did he escape?"_

 _"No, your father…he's planning something unspeakable and has already done terrible things to an innocent girl."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"He had a guard kidnap a human girl and put her in a dungeon cell next to Loki's. He's been starving her and she was even raped in front of him." Frigga said. "He has forbidden me to go to the dungeons to visit him, but I have been using my magic to spy on the dungeon. A few minutes ago six men entered her cell, planning to rape and kill her. Loki saved her."_

 _"No, father would never do something like that to an innocent woman."_

 _"He has and what's more, he is planning on turning Loki into a concubine for the army. The dwarves are forging a collar that will restrict all of his magic to include his Jotunn ice."_

 _"No, I cannot believe it!"_

 _"Go to the dungeons and see it for yourself." Frigga said. Thor had never known his mother to be melodramatic or untruthful. He had seen Odin do some horrific things on the battlefield over the years to the enemy. When it came to the ones Odin loved he was a kind guiding hand, but to the enemy he possessed a streak of cruelty so dark it could be called depraved. Loki was now the enemy and Odin was a child with a magnifying glass frying an ant. Thor ran. He saw soldiers running into the dungeons, sounds of shocked murmuring growing into an excited roar._

 _"What is the meaning of this?!" Thor yelled and the men parted for him. He approached Loki's cell and saw the carnage with his own eyes. Sarah's cell was bathed in blood. The six guards littering the floor of her cell had emptied the contents of their veins onto the floor. Thor noticed then, a large hole in the barrier between the cells, big enough for a skinny person to fit through. Then he saw Sarah and Loki._

 _The girl was a skeleton, pale with dark bags under her eyes and bruises everywhere that he could see. She was wrapped in a sheet to protect her modesty, which meant her clothes must have been ripped apart when she was assaulted and left there naked to suffer and die._

 _Loki was still dressed in his princely attire but his face was gaunt and he was cradling Sarah. He was staring Thor down with a defiant expression._

 _"Odin sent you to kill me I see. I'd wondered if you were a part of this. How in the Nine is it that Mjolnir finds you worthy?"_

 _"I didn't know." Thor said quietly. Hope blossomed across both of their faces._

 _"The Allfather will be here any second Thor. What are you going to do about this?" Loki said. Thor closed his eyes as the enormity of the situation he washed over him. He was about to defy his father the king and rescue Loki of all people, fighting his fellow warriors in the process. Damn it all._

 _"My Father and I are about to have a very public disagreement. Those of you who do not wish to fight me, leave now." Thor announced to the men around him. A nervous shift went through the men. Thor had done nothing less than announce a Civil War and demand that the men chose a side here and now. The man to his left swung his sword to strike him. Pandemonium broke out as Thor fell several men in his immediate vicinity. Others hung back, hesitant to strike at the Prince of Asgard and future King. Thor flung Mjolnir at the cell barrier, breaking it like a pane of glass. Thor cleared a path up and out of the dungeons to the main level._

 _"Hold on to me." Thor said. Loki and Sarah grabbed hold of Thor and wrapped their bodies onto his._

 _"Thor!" Odin bellowed in outrage. Thor took off to the air, heading straight for the Bifrost. It was slow going and somewhat painful as Thor was using only one arm to carry all of his weight and the weight of two other people. He had his other arm wrapped around Sarah's tiny waist to keep her from falling. Loki was latched onto him like a barnacle._

 _They landed at the Bifrost and entered the gatehouse. Heimdall stood there just looking at them._

 _"You and I will have words about all of this." Thor said to Heimdall._

 _"I couldn't tell you." Heimdall said, his eyes filled with guilt as he looked at Sarah._

 _"Let them pass." Thor said. Heimdall plunged his sword into the pedestal and opened the Bifrost to them. He walked away and out of the gatehouse, abandoning his post._

 _"Brother…" Loki said, his voice cracking._

 _"Save her." Thor said._

 _"She's under my protection. I swear it." Loki said. Thor could count on a single hand the number of times Loki had ever sworn to anything. Loki didn't like making promises, but when he made them he kept them. Thor shoved them through and then turned round to face Asgard and the wrath of Odin._

XxXxXxXx

Steve, Tony, and Nick all entered Sarah and Loki's cell. Sarah clung to Loki, wide eyed and afraid. He cradled her head against his chest as they sat on the one little prison bed inside the cell.

"You've decided something." Loki said plainly.

"Actually we haven't." Steve said. "Loki, what were you and Sarah doing up in Vermont?"

"I thought it was rather obvious." He said.

"So you and Sarah were just going to hide out in the woods for the rest of your lives?"

"Well, for the rest of hers. After that I don't know what I will do." Loki said. That statement gave the others pause. They looked at one another as though they each possessed telepathy and could hear each other's thoughts. It occurred to all of them that keeping Loki locked up for thousands of years would be impossible. Sooner or later there would be a jail break and Loki would be loose again. Killing him seemed wrong now, after Thor's daring rescue to save him. That left the third option, one everyone on the team was hesitant to accept.

"Look, keeping you locked up in perpetuity here on Earth would be a pain in the ass. Sooner or later you'd break free again, and by then I'm sure you'd be pissed and looking for revenge against your jailers." Tony said.

"You know me so well." Loki said with a smirk.

"Here's the deal. Heavy surveillance. Your new house in Vermont is going to be bugged with every type of camera and listening device there is. You will be watched constantly and if you block our ability to view you, then we will toss you into prison. You will restrict yourselves to that new home in the woods and only leave it with the permission of SHIELD." Steve said.

"Is that all?" Loki asked.

"No. Look ever since you showed up there have been all kinds of super villains trying to conquer earth running around. In truth, we could use your help and a little bit of reparations would go a long way in how we feel like treating you." Tony said.

"How sweet. You want me to play for your team. I'm honored." Loki said with a tone that wasn't quite sarcastic and yet, it conveyed his lack of enthusiasm.

"Good. We're taking you home." Tony said.

XxXxXxXx

Loki frowned as men in black suits scurried around his home by the dozens. Sarah was somewhat better, more relaxed now that they were home. However, the presence of all these people in what was supposed to be their secret getaway unnerved them both.

"All set sir, there are cameras in every room of the home with microphones." An agent said to Nick.

"I beg your pardon, but what of the bedroom?" Loki asked.

"Yes, we bugged that too." Nick said.

"Absolutely not! I object!" Loki said.

"Duly noted." Nick said. "You will not obscure the line of sight on these cameras or the microphones. Period."

"And I'll not allow some stranger to view our intimate relations. Is Sarah to be subjected to having her naked body viewed every time she undresses and bathes?"

"It's that or a prison cell." Nick said. "You're lucky we are giving you this option at all."

"Look, it'll take some getting used to but after a while you'll forget they are there." Natasha said to Sarah.

"No I won't." Sarah said. Natasha sighed. Well, she tried. The team packed up and all the non-descript suits left, leaving Nick, Steve, Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Bruce.

"So, these are the ground rules. Use this communicator to let our agents know if you plan to leave the house to go into town for a supply run. Likewise, if you go anywhere else. If you shut off or obscure the equipment function in any way, agents will descend upon this location quickly."

"If it is night time in our bedroom, I make no promises." Loki said as he snatched the communicator out of Steve's hand. Nick made a face but said nothing as everyone turned to leave.

"There is one more thing." Nick said.

"I'm shocked. What now?" Loki said.

"We're sending out a doctor to visit Sarah once a week to give her therapy for her PTSD. She needs it."

"Thank you." She said.

"Fine, get out." Loki said.

"You're welcome." Steve said to Sarah. The group boarded the quinjet and took off, leaving Loki and Sarah alone, well mostly. Relief washed over them both and they locked the door.

"There now. We're safe again. In fact, we are even more protected than we were before." He said as he hugged her. His hands ran over her back, caressing her.

"I wonder what Thor is up to." Sarah said.

"So do I."


	3. Chapter 3

"You would dare fight me?" Odin bellowed. It was raining. Asgard was on fire. Its people were fighting one another in a civil war sparked between allegiances between Odin and Thor. The old versus the young. The new generation rising up against the older generation. Word of Loki's punishment had spread to the common people. The whole country was up in arms over the treatment of that human girl. Many did not care about her. They felt the Allfather was doing what was best for the people of Asgard and did not care about the citizens of Midgard.

Others, however, sided with Thor. They pointed to the fact that he was still worthy. That he could still wield Mjolnir and that he had a duty to the oaths he'd made to that realm and its citizens. Odin had violated that trust putting Thor in a precarious predicament. Still, many questioned how Thor could choose a stranger over family, only to be reminded that Thor was fighting for Loki as well. No one could agree on who was right. But in placing their bets on who would win this argument, they had to gamble with their very lives. Odin was old, and though extremely powerful, was not long for this world. Thor was his heir. His only heir. If Thor died, who would inherit the throne? For this reason, many backed Thor, far more than Odin anticipated and the people suffered greatly for it.

"You will leave Loki alone." Thor yelled.

"Leave him alone? It is for you that I seek to punish him."

"He was already in prison. Execution would have been better than what you did to him and that girl."

"Your mother wouldn't allow it."

"But she'd allow you to toss him into the barracks and render him a whore? I can think of no worse fate. The gallows offer up more honor. That girl was innocent!"

"She was necessary."

"No father. There were other ways."

"Yes, I should have left him to die with his people when he was an infant. A decision I greatly regret. Fight me if you must my son, but if you do I will end you, and then I'll end Loki."

"If you kill me Loki will be your only heir." Thor said. He saw defeat for the first time in Odin's eyes. It flashed through briefly, but Thor saw it. It was quickly replaced by rage and the old man charged at him. Father and son, twisted in anger, battled for the future of Asgard. Thor's nose dislocated and Odin was struck by lightning again and again. The deciding blow was the hit to Odin's one good eye. He was blinded. Thor's heart broke into a thousand pieces when he swung Mjolnir and bashed in his head.

The men around them stopped fighting. They didn't need to anymore. The rain continued. Thor used it to put out the fires burning the town. Thor addressed his people and let them know that he would not punish those that had remained loyal to his father. They had done their duty to their people and he could find no fault in them. He returned to the palace to find his mother who was already dressed in a state of mourning.

"Is he dead?" She asked.

"Yes." Thor ran to her to hold her, only to find her holding him in return. He felt small again, and collapsed to his knees, with his head buried in her skirts. He cried into her lap as she stroked his hair. There was no victory here.

"Your father really thought he was helping Loki by hurting him like that. He loved Loki once, but you know how twisted he can be especially when he has been betrayed."

"Loki never betrayed him. Everything he did was to earn father's approval. He killed Laufey to prove his loyalty to him. He attacked Midgard to spite me."

"He felt that Loki had thrown away all that he'd given him when he did that. He thought him unredeemable. There was nothing you could say to convince him otherwise. I tried to. I barely stayed the axe from his neck. There was no other solution Thor. Do not blame yourself." Frigga said as the tears rolled down her cheeks. It was over. Almost. Now, they had to figure out what to do with Loki.

XxXxXxXx

A knock came at the door and Loki answered it. The psychiatrist usually came on Mondays and today was Wednesday. He stood ready to strike down an enemy if necessary, but it wasn't. It was Tony.

"What do you want?" Loki asked.

"Nothing. I'm here on a social call."

"What is it you want to discuss?" Loki asked frowning and crossing his arms.

"I came to talk to your girl."

"Regarding what?"

"Look, I know a little of what she's going through. Do you think I really shared everything that happened to me with my therapist? I know what it's like to have a cellmate tortured and murdered in front of me."

"She has me. She doesn't need you."

"Look, I'm not trying to replace you. She looks like she could use some emotional support from people that have been through what she has been through. If she doesn't want me around, I'll leave." Tony said. He held up a bag then, which had briefly been forgotten. "I brought brownies." Tony offered up his best cheesy charming smile.

"Oh fine! Come in." Loki huffed and moved to the side to let Tony pass. Sarah was in the kitchen washing dishes from lunch when Tony entered. Tony tried to smile at her and be as non-threatening as possible. He knew she did not have fond memories of him.

"I brought brownies. I hope you like chocolate."

"I haven't had chocolate in months." She said, her eyes went wide with hunger and her mouth watered. She could smell the sweet treats and hummed her approval.

"Why so long?" Tony asked.

"We've been surviving mostly on deer meat and a few other staples. Our trips into town are very brief. We get in and get out as quickly as we can. Chocolate never makes the list of necessities." She said.

"I'll have to remember it the next time we go into town." Loki said as he kissed her temple. She brewed up a fresh pot of coffee and pulled out some saucers for the brownies. The three of them sat at the kitchen table enjoying their afternoon snack. Sarah scarfed down three brownies before Loki had finished his first. She giggled from the sugar rush and it was such a warm and happy sound. Her cheeks puffed out, over full with the confection.

"We need to get some brownie mix the next time we go to the grocery store." She said around a mouthful. Loki chuckled at her happy bouncy exuberant mood. Tony laughed too.

"And they aren't even the special kind of brownies. You are easy to please." He said. Sarah nodded and sipped her coffee.

"Aside from brownies, is there anything you are needing. The guys and I were feeling rather guilty once we had a minute to digest what happened to you. We are sorry we scared you."

"It's ok. You didn't know. I don't really need a whole lot. Loki takes good care of me."

"But…?" Loki asked.

"I would love to go out once in a while. I miss being around other people in a normal setting. I want to go out to dinner and see a movie or a concert or something. I know I need to hide to stay safe but the longer we are out here alone the more I am reminded that I am still in danger. We haven't had a chance to breathe. I am in desperate need of some fun."

"I think I can arrange that." Tony said.

"We can't. Darling I'm sorry, but we can't risk it just yet. Until we know for certain if we are still under threat, we have to assume that we are. The moment we let our guard down, Odin will snatch us back and the nightmare will begin anew."

"I know." Sarah said, disappointed.

"Well if you can't leave the house maybe we can bring a bit of the outside to you. When's the last time you went to the movies?"

"A year ago." She said.

"I can bring in a movie projector and some new releases for you guys to watch here at home." Tony offered.

"I'd like that." She said.

"How are your sessions with the doctor going?" Tony asked.

"Terribly. Talking about it is hard." She said.

"You know, when I was captured I had a man with me who was also a prisoner. He was my friend and he saved my life. But I had to watch him die a slow painful death. I made the suit and escaped. And then I made the people that killed him pay. You've both been holed up out here in the boonies for a while now. It's safe and offers its own routine, but it's nothing like your life used to be before this happened. Getting back to normal can be hard when you can't get back to normal. Unfortunately, I don't have a better solution to offer at the moment. I just hope Thor shows up soon and tells us if you guys are free and clear or not."

"Thank you for sharing that with me. It is comforting to know that we aren't alone." Sarah said.

"Yeah well, your boyfriend did try to kill me by throwing me out a window of my skyscraper, so I'm trying to be more forgiving these days." Tony said looking at Loki.

"If it makes you feel better, that dick joke you made during battle was pretty funny. I didn't think so at the time of course." Loki said.

"I do find it oddly comforting to look at the Loki shaped hole in my floor."

"Yes well, I am willing to settle the bad blood between us if you are." Loki looked at Sarah and put his hand on top of hers. As horrific as it was, Odin's plan to teach Loki compassion for humanity had worked. If only the Allfather had stopped while he was ahead, their suffering might have made more sense.

"You seem less hell bent on world domination these days, so maybe that is possible. I know I and my team mates are glad to see the change. I'll bring movies the next time a pay a visit." Tony said.

"I'd like that. Brownies too?" Sarah said.

"Brownies too." Tony said. Loki escorted Tony out and watched him leave in his non-descript black sedan.

"Strange that he would come out all this way just to drop off brownies." Loki said.

"You're reading too much into it. It's not like he needed to spy on us. They are already doing that." Sarah said.

"How could I forget." Loki said as he looked up at the camera in the ceiling and gave a big middle finger.

"Loki!" Sarah admonished him. Though she was smiling and laughing a little.

"What? If they don't like it, they can stop spying on us." He said. Sarah stood up and walked to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his lips. It was a rare occurrence. Her eyes sparkled with intent and Loki's blood froze. He wanted her. He wanted to show her his love, had wanted to for some time. He took a chance and kissed her back. She tasted like the coffee and brownies they just ate and she giggled as though she'd read his thoughts.

"I'm definitely picking up brownies the next time we go out." Loki said. He pulled her closer, paying attention to her body, if it tensed or became rigid with fear. But she stayed relaxed and returned his kiss with enthusiasm. Loki deepened the kiss, starved and frantic. His finger entwined in her inky silky locks. He broke the kiss then, to ask her an important question.

"Can we make love tonight? Can we try?"

"Yes." She said. Loki took her by the hand and they walked down the hall to their bedroom and shut the door. They both looked up at the camera and frowned.

"If you people know what is good for you, you will not disturb us for the next hour. And don't listen either!" Loki threw a towel over the camera and turned back to Sarah.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"I don't know but I'm excited." She said and kissed him again. Loki wanted to rip her clothes off he was so anxious, but didn't dare do anything rough with her. He yanked off his shirt, his eyes blown with need as he looked at her fully clothed form. She was removing her blouse and Loki watched, feeling electricity spark across his skin. He needed her. He needed her love, and oh! How he wanted to show her how he felt. They moved their pants and both stood before one another in their underwear. They climbed into bed under the covers before removing the rest, just in case there were any cameras hidden anywhere that they didn't know about.

They laid on their sides and looked at one another. Sarah could make out the outline of Loki's dick through the sheets and she reached out a hand to touch it. Loki sucked in air quickly between clenched teeth and leaned in for another needy kiss. He was shaking.

"May I touch you?" He asked. She grabbed his hand and guided it to her breast. Loki cupped and massaged it. The sweet flesh felt so warm and heavy in his hand. He leaned down and took the nipple into his mouth, hugging her gently. Her hands wove into his hair. Loki's hand trailed down to her womanhood and he slipped an exploratory finger into her opening.

"Is that okay?" He asked, searching her eyes for any sign of fear or hesitation. She nodded and kissed him again. Loki fingered her as they made out. He didn't want her to feel pressured in any way, but that did not stop his cock from poking her in the belly.

"Are you ready for me?" Loki asked praying any and every god he knew that the answer would be yes.

"Yes." Sarah said. Loki removed his slick covered fingers from her womanhood and replaced them with his tip. He slid into her gently.

"Oh Sarah." Loki shuddered as he held back the urge to rut her with all his power and force.

"It's okay, I'm okay. Just go." She said. Loki mouth parted in awe as he rocked into her. It wasn't just the sensation. It was the connection. He'd had sex before but never with anyone that he really cared about, let alone loved. He loved this girl. He wanted to protect her and remain by her side until she was an ancient rotting corpse being planted into the ground.

"Loki…" Her breathing came in hard gasps as Loki brought her pleasure to new heights.

"Shh, I'm here love. Oh Sarah. I love you." Loki whispered to her as he maintained an intense eye contact. She wrapped her ankles around his hips and arched her hips up.

"That's it love. I'm yours darling." Loki's pace faltered as his climax neared. He held off as much as he could. He wanted her to come first.

"Loki I love you. Don't leave me. I'm so afraid." She sobbed.

"Shh, I'm here darling. You can come love, I know you can. Come for me. I want to make you feel good." Loki keened. His need was her need. He couldn't hold back anymore. He pounded into her hard and fast. She gripped his shoulders in fear but hung on as her heart and her head warred with one another.

"Loki!"

"So beautiful. Sarah…Sarah…SARAH!" Loki screamed her name as he spilled inside of her. He rode out his climax and rolled to the side, exhausted and spent. He noticed that Sarah had not climaxed and his hand flew to her glistening open folds to stroke her sweet spot with his thumb. He kissed her and continued making eye contact until he finished her off. She cried out his name when she came, covering Loki's hand with their combined fluids. She started to cry and Loki's heart filled with dread.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm relieved." She sniffled. "I was so afraid it was going to hurt or that I'd freak out. I didn't think I'd ever have normal sex again." She cried into his shoulder and Loki pulled her close, stroking her hair.

"Thank you." Loki whispered to her. Relief washed over Loki as well. They'd made monumental progress this night and now their future together looked that much brighter.

XxXxXxXxXx

Thor touched down on the balcony of Tony's tower. His face sported a new scar and he glowed with the power of the Allfather. He had streaks of white in his beard from the transformation and he looked harden by strife. Tony came running outside to greet him.

"Jesus Point Break, what the hell happened?"

"My father is dead. I am King. Where is Loki?"

"Oh! Yeah, your brother and his girl are in hiding. Jarvis, give Thor the coordinates." Tony said. The AI did as Tony commanded, and spit out the GPS coordinates for Thor and Heimdall to hear.

"Thank you my friend." Thor said and looked to the sky.

"Ah wait! Thor! So what's going to happen to Loki?"

"That is something I must discuss with him when I find him." Thor said.

"You're not going to separate him from Sarah are you?"

"Is that her name?"

"Yes. Look whatever you decide, just keep them together. Okay?"

"I will." Thor said. The Bifrost opened up and in a flash he was gone.

"Shit. I need to call Nick." Tony said to the wind.

Thor touched down in an open empty field, but he knew this was the place. He could sense magic here, something he wouldn't have noticed before. His new powers opened his eyes to just how powerful his father had been, and what a miracle it had been that he ended up victorious. Thor approached the center of the field and felt the ground under his feet change. It still looked like bare earth but had the feel of hard pavement. He'd reached the edge of the illusion. He took another step and felt the protection spell. A green crackling dome appeared and disappeared.

The house appeared then, as though encased in a snow globe. The front door opened and Loki appeared ready to fight to death. He approached Thor with obvious fear and anxiety. Thor noted the curious set of eyes looking at him through a window from the kitchen.

"I am not here to fight you or harm you." Thor said. "After all that I've endured on your behalf I might want to, but that would conflict with all the sacrifices I've made to protect you." Thor said with a hint of a smile.

"Is Odin dead? What happened?"

"Ragnarok happened Loki. Civil War came to Asgard and our people split themselves in two. One camp backing father, the other backing me. Father is dead and Asgard is mine."

"What happens now?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know what to do with you. I love you brother and your noble act to protect that girl gives me hope that you may yet be redeemed. It would certainly justify all the blood that has been shed in Asgard for your sake. I would take you home, but I think the people of Asgard are in need of respite just now. And I suspect you do not want to leave Midgard just yet."

"Your mortal friends have an insane idea of using me to help them in some of their more difficult battles. I suppose I could work for them from time to time in a consulting capacity."

"Then as King I sentence you to banishment to Midgard for the next 70 years. Whether she lives that long or not, you will remain here until your sentence ends. In that time, I expect you to pay recompense the people of this world for your crimes. Failure to do so will mean an increase to your banishment."

"Can I have visitors? I miss mother." Loki asked.

"That all depends. Do you plan on having children?" He asked.

"I…we haven't discussed it."

"Well if you do have children, there isn't a power in the universe that will keep mother from you. I may be King, but I'm still her little boy who must do what she says." Thor said. Loki chuckled at that.

"Thank you…brother. I am sorry, for all of it." Loki said. The anger was gone. The jealousy and inferiority complex and animosity were gone. He was too tired to feel those feelings anymore. He'd grown up, seeing what real pain was for the first time. The separation from Thor's shadow had given much needed clarity and his first opportunity to be his own person. For the first time he wasn't defined by Thor or how his actions compared to his brother, but on his merits alone. And Sarah was his measuring stick.

"May I come in?" Thor asked.

"Yes, Sarah just baked up a batch of brownies. They're wonderful."


End file.
